


In Tandem

by graceling_in_a_suit



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Blatant ignoring of significant others, Cemetery, Fix-it fic, Fluff and Angst, Hugging, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Derek/Braeden - Freeform, Pre-Slash, angsty baring of feelings, mentions of stiles/malia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-21
Updated: 2014-09-21
Packaged: 2018-02-18 04:43:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2335748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graceling_in_a_suit/pseuds/graceling_in_a_suit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles overhears Derek talking to Laura's grave at the cemetery and feelings are involved. Mid season 4.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Tandem

It was honestly an accident the day Stiles came across Derek at Beacon Hills Cemetery. He had just finished his bimonthly rant at his mother's headstone about the unfairness of life in general, and was innocently walking back to his jeep to get home when he looked up to find Derek, complete with his resting bitchface, standing in front of a set of graves. He had his arms crossed, the sleeves of his grey henley pushed around his elbows as he stared- Stiles was gonna guess solemnly?- at the newsest headstone.

So, naturally, instead of moving on and going about his day like a normal, respectful person, Stiles swerved and rushed behind the nearest tree, determined to take full advantage of Derek's temporary lack of wolf mojo. Or, at least, he hoped it was temporary. No matter what he said to Scott or anybody who outright asked him, the thought of Kate having any permanent affect on Derek's body or life was not something that sat well at all with him.

Stiles watched in a fashion similar to early!Derek's creeperness, minus a leather jacket and a 'don't fuck with me' attitude, as Derek began to speak softly.

“I don't know what to do, Laura,” he rumbled. Stiles would have been surprised by the heartbroken sound of it, but he was beyond being surprised by Derek Hale.

“This is starting to feel like a war, and our 'army' has nothing on three berserkers, a psychotic were-jaguar and the infinite amount of assassin's this deadpool is dragging out of the woodwork of Beacon Hills- also, whatever Peter decided to throw at as. I'm not fool enough to believe his act. You get to be proof enough of that.” Derek continued. He then sighed and knelt in front of Laura, and placed his forehead and palms on the name and year respectively. Stiles was frozen in rapture and horrified indecision. This was a side of Derek that he doubted even Braeden was allowed to see. The broken, lost side. The one that everybody hid, the one that Stiles repressed beyond recognition.

Derek seemed to want to collect his thoughts, so Stiles was turned to go, but at that moment Derek began talking, softer then before.

“I wish I knew what to do about Stiles”. It came out as a whisper. Stiles leaned in to hear, ears perking up at the mention of his name.

“I miss him so much, Laur. I didn't think I could or I would, but now that he's changed, I really, honestly do. I see him in front of me and it breaks my heart.” He laughed hollowly. “After everything I've been through, this breaks my heart the most. Because he was so alive, Laura. He never laughs anymore without it sounding hollow or mean spirited. He never smiles, never even goddam flails anymore. It's like he's on mute.” He pauses, sighs, then continues, eyes still closed.

“It's not even as dramatic as I'm making it sound. The others, even Scott, don't notice it as starkly as I do. It makes me regret how I treated him. More regret to add to the heaping pile. I just- it just breaks my heart to see him repress it all. I want to grab him and shake him, tell him not to become like me, not to push it down until all anyone can see is sarcasm and badly hidden post traumatic stress. I really don't think what he has going on with Malia is helping, let alone healthy. Their both so lost, I think they just need to cling to each other and pretend to be normal, but it was too soon. He doesn't even flinch in the face of violence anymore. He's become strong enough to deal with the guilt he feels at having someone use him body to kill, the pain of having been trapped in his own mind, but at the cost of his happiness.”

“The worst part is, I can't help him. I can't help anyone. Whatever Kate's done to me, she really knew where to twist the knife.” Derek sits back, cross legged, head bent, eyes still squeezed shut. Stiles hates himself more for every minute he stays. “She went for my _core_ , Laura, she went for who I was. Being a wolf is all I've ever known. At was all I though I would ever know at one point. It was part of me, it _was_ me, and I really don't think anybody in our little 'family' can really understand. They've all gained their powers, none of them have had them and grown with them since birth, only to have them taken away. There is so much confusion, Laura, and I can't even help by doing to one thing I always counted on begin able to provide; an ability to hit things. What use am I, Laura? I don't even know how to be _human_ , how can I be helpful _and_ human?”

He heaved one final sigh, and pushed himself up from the ground. For a moment, Derek touched Laura's grave and Stiles caught a glimpse of the pure _pain_ on the man's face. Then Derek turned, and his feature were schooled back once again to blank disinterest. He crossed his arms and moved to march towards the car park, with one last look at his family, when Stiles stepped out from behind his tree. Derek looked surprised and horrified for all of two seconds before Stiles marched up to him and buried his fave in the curve of Derek's shoulder, arms thrown hastily around his neck.

Stiles didn't really know what he was silently trying to communicate, but he did know that 'silently' was the only option after what he had overheard.

Derek tensed beneath him, but slowly relaxed and put his arms around Stiles, squeezing comfortingly and resting his cheek on Stiles' hair.

They stood there in the cemetery and simply breathed, in tandem. No words were necessary. 


End file.
